Take a Break
Hamilton: The Musical has a fun song called “Take a Break” in which Eliza Hamilton tries to convince Alexander to take a break from his work and join her, the kids, and her sister in upstate New York for the summer. Alexander frets that he must stay behind and get his financial plan through Congress and cannot take the time off. Those of you who have watched the show or listened to the musical know this does not end well for him. (And if you’ve not seen it, I HIGHLY recommend that you do!)
As the world comes out of the pandemic and some incredibly stressful years, the need to take a break remains as important today as ever. Mental health issues have skyrocketed, and Americans notoriously do not use their vacation or personal time off. According to the US Travel Association, in 2021, the average worker left 4.6 days of eligible paid time off unused.
A connection likely exists between these two conditions as burnout has become the new pandemic. Market research firm Destination Analysts found that more than two-thirds of American workers feel at least moderately burned out. Are you one of them?
The Mayo Clinic defines burnout as “a special type of work-related stress – a state of physical and emotional exhaustion that involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity.” Some of the symptoms they identify include becoming cynical or critical at work, lack of motivation, irritability or impatience, and lack of satisfaction with work and life. Burnout can lead to an increased use of alcohol or drugs, trouble sleeping and physical symptoms such as stomach upset and headaches.
In their book The Happy, Healthy Nonprofit, Beth Kantor and Aliza Sherman outline a number of factors that make burnout especially prevalent and a real risk for people who work in nonprofits. Among those they mention, the nonprofit starvation cycle (lack of adequate funding for infrastructure), funder expectations, scarcity mindset, the myth of indispensability, and stressful work all contribute to nonprofit employee burnout.
How can you avoid burn out? Some tips I’ve gleaned from the research and personal experience.
1. Take breaks. That might mean taking the long route to the restroom to give your mind and body a break to taking a walk at lunch, or simply eating lunch away from your desk. Between meetings – or paragraphs – take a few deep breaths. Sometimes just a break from the situation can help you see it in a different light or break the physiological stress cycle that can lead to headaches, body aches, and high blood pressure. I know when I’m stuck on something, even a 2-minute walk away from my desk will clear my head and allow me to refocus.
2. Use stress-relieving techniques. Whether your take a few minutes to stretch at your desk (or in your doorway as I frequently do), turn on some relaxing music while you work, meditate, do yoga, or exercise, find the way that your body best releases its stress and incorporate that into your day. I know, you don’t want one more thing on your “to do” list, but I promise that the time you dedicate to stress relief will pay dividends back in more energy and better focus.
3. Seek clear goals and expectations. Many people burnout when they do not know what their boss expects of them or how well they meet their goals (or what goals they have!). If your boss has not set your expectations – or keeps changing them – speak up. At the project level, ask by when they want something done. How they want it done. At the more global level, ask what they see as your long-term path to success. They may think they clearly articulated these things to you, but if you still don’t know, help yourself – and them – by starting that conversation.
4. Talk to someone. Whether a spouse, friend, or professional, often just articulating your stress and challenges can help provide some clarity or put your problem into perspective which can reduce stress. I know that my stress often comes less from having too much to do and more from not having a plan to tackle my “to do” list. Once I have a plan – even if it involves working more hours – I feel my stress recede. Talking it out with someone can help find that clarity or solutions.
5. Use your time off. Whether for a mental health day or a beach vacation, you need time to recharge your batteries. Take the time off that your employer gives you. And use that time to really recharge, not to work in a different location. (I’m working on this one too.) I had a brilliant friend once tell me, “You aren’t doing brain surgery. No one will die if you take time off.” That put things into perspective for me and has helped when I decide to really turn off.
It can feel overwhelming to take time off. You work twice as hard to get out of the office and three times as hard when you come back, but your body cannot work at 125% effort for too long without burning out so make the time for yourself, whether in small increments or a 2-week vacation (which I highly recommend!).
As you read this, I’m taking my own advice and sitting on a beach reading romance novels. I’ll reconnect when I get back.
What advice do you have for your nonprofit colleagues to reduce burnout?